APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST CIVIL SERVICE TITLE OR BE PERMANENT IN A COMPARABLE TITLE ELIGIBLE FOR 6.1.9 TITLE CHANGE OR BE REACHABLE WITH THE SCORE OF 100 ON THE OPEN COMPETITIVE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST EXAM (# 1120)

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is comprised of 2,000 employees and with an annual operating budget of over $1 billion. It is one of the largest organizations of its kind, committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City. Collaborating with other Public Agencies and Not-For-Profit Partners, DHS works to prevent homelessness before it occurs, reduce street homelessness, and assist New Yorkers to transition from shelter into appropriate permanent housing. DHS is responsible for management of over 200 facilities, which mainly are individual and family shelters used as overnight residences for over 38,000 adults and children. DHS’s portfolio covers approximately 4M square feet.

DHS is at the forefront of combating homelessness in New York City, employing innovative strategies to assist families and individuals in transitioning from shelter to self-sufficiency. Currently, DHS's Rehousing Division seeks to fill the role of (1) one Administrative Community Relations Specialist NM-I, serving as the Manager for the Rental Assistance Processing Unit. This pivotal position involves overseeing a team dedicated to processing subsidized housing packets, facilitating the transition of families to permanent housing.

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is recruiting for one (1) Administrative Community Relations Specialist to function as a Manager For The Rental Assistance Processing Unit who will:

- Assign cases based on housing priorities. Ensuring timely follow-up with the Human Resources Administration (HRA) for necessary rectifications.

- Generating daily reports to track check statuses, in coordination with HRA for check issuance. Communicate effectively with shelter staff for check pickup and package submission.

- Liaising with key Agencies such as NYCHA, HRA, and shelter providers to troubleshoot any arising issues and distribute checks efficiently.

- Represent the unit in meetings, conduct staff meetings to disseminate new policies, and provide clear communication and instructions to partner agencies.

- Utilize systems like Access, WMS, and NYCWAY, the specialist will respond to inquiries from shelter providers.

Hours/Schedule: Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, accredited by regional, national, professional or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U. S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and four years of satisfactory, full-time community liaison, community organization or community relations experience, at least two years of which must have been in a broad administrative or policy-making capacity with responsibility for planning, organizing, coordinating, developing, evaluating and/or administering a large community service program or activity; or
2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization and eight years of satisfactory, full-time experience as described in "1" above, at least two years of which must have been in a broad administrative or policy-making capacity with responsibilities as described in "1" above; or
3. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" or "2" above. Undergraduate education above the high school level may be substituted for the community liaison, community organization or community relations experience, but not for the two years of broad administrative or policy-making experience described in "1" above, at the rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college or university (as described above) for each year of experience, up to a maximum of 4 years. Graduate education beyond the baccalaureate degree may be substituted for the community liaison, community organization or community relations experience, but not for the two years of broad administrative or policy-making experience described in "1" above, on the basis of 30 graduate credits from an accredited college or university (as described above) for each year of experience, up to a maximum of 2 years. However, all candidates must possess a four-year high school diploma or its educational
equivalent approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization and two years of full-time experience in a broad administrative or policy-making capacity with responsibilities as described in "1" above.

- Four years of relevant community liaison or relations experience. - At least two years in an administrative or policy-making capacity . - Ability to multitask. - Takes initiative. - Works independently. - Creative problem-solving skills

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.